The invention relates to milking parlors having a zigzag or S-shaped rump rail, such as herringbone milling parlors and parabone milking parlors, and more particularly to a gutter and flushing system therefor.
Various types of milking parlors are known in the prior art for milking a plurality of cows. Parallel type parlors, herringbone type parlors, and parabone type parlors have an operator pit extending along a longitudinal axis and have a plurality of stalls on one or both lateral sides of the pit. In a parallel parlor, the stalls are perpendicular to the noted axis. In herringbone and parabone parlors, the stalls extend diagonally relative to the noted axis. In another type of parlor known as a rotary parlor, the cows stand on a rotating circulating platform, with the stalls extending radially or diagonally relative to the central axis of rotation of the platform, and with the operator pit along the outer or inner circumference or arcuate portion of the platform. In all of these parlors, there is a need to collect and flush manure from the cows.
In all of the noted types of parlors, one known way of removing manure is a deck flush system in which jets of water spray the manure away from the cow deck. Another known system in all of the noted types of parlors installs a gutter in the floor or deck for collecting manure, which gutter may then be flushed. The gutter is typically covered by a grate through which the manure may fall and then be flushed. A problem with these systems is that the manure often splatters off the deck or floor and can reach both the operator and the milking equipment such as the milking cluster and teatcups. Another problem is with the grates because they flex, which can make the cows uncomfortable standing and/or walking on the grates, which in turn causes the cows to load into the stalls slower and also tends to make the cows stand unsteady in the stall, which in turn causes slips, squawks and kickoffs of the teatcup inflation liner. Another problem arises because during milking preparation a fore strip is taken from the cow""s udder, most of which fore strip ends up below the grates, where the operator is not able to check for mastitis.
Alternatively to the noted floor gutter system, it is known in the prior art to provide parallel parlors and parallel type rotary parlors with an elevated gutter. In the parallel parlor, the gutter is a straight member extending along the noted longitudinal axis. In the parallel type rotary parlor, the gutter is arcuate along a radius. The gutter is typically located at the rump rail and along the bottom of the splash plate.
Elevated gutters have not been provided in herringbone, herringbone type rotary, and parabone parlors. This has caused problems in some states which require a gutter system, which in turn creates a dilemma for the dairyman desiring to construct a herringbone, herringbone type rotary, or parabone parlor. In such states, the dairyman desiring a herringbone, herringbone type rotary, or parabone parlor must accept the noted trade-off of floor gutter grates and deck flush.
The present invention addresses and solves the noted dilemma.